Here is a nice looking Planetary Nebula popularly known as Cleopatra's Eye (NGC 1535, PN G206.4-40.5, PK 206-40.1, ARO 22) in the constellation of Eridanus. Magnitude: 9.40. Size: 20". The magnitude of the central star is 12.2
Taken on 4th October from our back garden in Brisbane with the Tak Mewlon 180 F12 at prime focus using an SBIG ST2000XM CCD camera. LRGB set with exposures of 3x10mins Lum and 3x5mins each for RGB. CCDStack2 for Calibration, Alignment and LRGB production. CS6 for finishing.
It is likely the “granulation” effects in the fainter, outer spherical envelope are noise artefacts from processing, due the limited number of exposures taken.
Wow! I want it. Thanks for show it to us. I searched in internet and saw that it is very difficult to register. But it seems beautiful. I will try, too.
Thanks Rick, I appreciate your comments and should really get to a dark sky site for this one and grab more data to do it justice.
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Originally Posted by multiweb
Nice close up. Challenging object.
Thanks Marc, I was pleasantly surprised at what I was able to dig out from the relatively few subs from a light polluted Brisbane.
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Originally Posted by rogerg
Very nice. Great clarity.
Thanks Roger, I appreciate your comments. I used the CCD calculator to balance the RGB ratios for the stars. Did you get the screen shots I sent via e-mail?
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Originally Posted by jsmoraes
Wow! I want it. Thanks for show it to us. I searched in internet and saw that it is very difficult to register. But it seems beautiful. I will try, too.
Thank you Jorge, I appreciate your comments and good luck with your efforts, it will be rewarding I’m sure.
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Originally Posted by Larryp
Very nice!
Thanks Laurie, I’m not too sure about the colour hue of the PN just yet as I set the RGB ratios for the stars.
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Originally Posted by gregbradley
Nice work. These little planetary nebs can be so bright and so colourful.
Greg.
Thanks Greg, the intensity and intrinsic beauty of these gorgeous PN’s make up for their diminutive size.
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Originally Posted by h0ughy
WOW - now thats a fair crack at the sav - brilliant.
BTW guess who just aquired a SX2000XM
Thanks David and yes, I had been following your ST2K acquisition along with the AO7, you’ll be needing a separate store room soon!
Thanks David and yes, I had been following your ST2K acquisition along with the AO7, you’ll be needing a separate store room soon!
Cheers
Dennis
yes i have the observatory, the back office, the workshop and the garage now
open for tips on setting it up , ultimately i am looking forward to using this with the 14" ACF to hunt down PN's . Your work Dennis is an absolute inspiration
open for tips on setting it up , ultimately i am looking forward to using this with the 14" ACF to hunt down PN's . Your work Dennis is an absolute inspiration
Hi Dave
Congrats on the newly acquired ST2K, I’m sure that you will enjoy it. The ST2K is not the most sensitive of CCD cameras and I purchased it mainly for its anti-blooming capability, real estate (1600x1200) and TC237 guide chip as I had been previously been using an older (Parallel) ST7E which was more sensitive but suffered from blooming and had the much smaller TC211 (?) guide chip.
Although I haven’t performed any side by side comparisons, I estimate that the ST2K requires at least 2 or 3 times the exposure to capture fainter objects, such as Eris at mag 18.7, when compared to the ST7E.
Tough target Dennis. You've extracted a considerable amount of structural detail for the duration of exposure time. Its great to see you've not given up the desire to shoot obscure deep sky objects. Inspirational work indeed, and tip of the hat for completing the mission to produce an LRGB image too.
Tough target Dennis. You've extracted a considerable amount of structural detail for the duration of exposure time. Its great to see you've not given up the desire to shoot obscure deep sky objects. Inspirational work indeed, and tip of the hat for completing the mission to produce an LRGB image too.
Thanks Jase, it’s good to hear from you and I appreciate your comments.
It was your excellent processing of my M16 image many years ago that opened up the door for LRGB imaging for me. It was a pivotal “ah ha” moment I am remain grateful for your help and the layered “how to” TIF file you provided.
I had a go at this in moonlight and it is tough and very small, great inner ring detail around central star.
John.
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Originally Posted by naskies
Looks great, Dennis!
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Originally Posted by allan gould
Really interesting image, Dennis. Like what you are imaging at the moment.
Allan
Thank you John, Dave and Allan, I wasn’t really expecting much as the skies have been very bright and milky of late, probably due to all the heat haze, dust, burn offs and lack of cleansing rain.
I could easily have read my copy of “Australian Sky & Telescope” outdoors last night, as it was just so bright!
lovely image Dennis - beautiful object with plenty of detail.
Interested in your comment on "milky skies" - have had the same problem down here for quite a while, but it finally started to clear a bit in the past week or so.
